Cindy King's International Business Blog » culture tips

21 International People to Follow on Twitter

Cindy King — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:00:21 +0000

If you are interested in international business and network on Twitter then you probably follow a number of people with international profiles. Some international people on Twitter share some great insights in their Twitter feed. I ask the cross-cultural people on my Twitter interviews to share the international people they like to follow on Twitter. Here are some of their replies.

21 International People to Follow on Twitter

@CCTheLowdown it’s a publishing company that Tweets all sorts of interesting things – sometimes international - @deborahswallow
@PennOlson I like those guys take on marketing but there are many others! – @ohh_la_la
Try @AmiExpat for her blog – @HoeferleConsult
I follow and read people like @RichardBranson interesting perspectives on business and the universal great thinker @SethGodin – @dkiernan
Christina Geyer @AmiExpat an American, expatriate, half-Asian living in Germany, and tweeting about cross-cultural differences & German cuisine – @transdomo
I’d say @StephenFry because he does so much travelling – @culturematters
@RickCogley, an American business consultant living in Japan. @vgr an Indian innovator living in the US – @tdebaillon
I like your list of international people to follow on Twitter. – @DR4Ward
My absolute favorite @queenrania – @XCulture
Hmmm … @johnniemoore is someone I have followed since the first year I was on Twitter (2007). – @jackyan
I really enjoy tweets from @ShellTerrell @kalinagoenglish @MissShonah @familyonbikes @KirstenWinkler – @CotterHUE
Adrian Monck ( @amonck ) an ex journo & current prof & head of comm. at World Economic Forum in Geneva … I answered as such because Adrian is international to me… and a Canadian perspective may be international to you, for example, and others; so for those interested in Canadian perspective, I would recommend Irshad Manji ( @reformingislam), @whoweareca, and @mathewi (Canadian journalist heavily involved in social media) – @DoreenatDMS
@globetrotteri is a friendly and international Tweeter: Canadian writer / photographer / teacher living in Taiwan – @pocketcultures
@volunteerabroad b/c I would like to travel by sharing my skills and competencies whilst learning – @psitutor
@glcuccureddu, @GotSagaLatino, @Marilyn_Res, @PatriciaVance, @hungaryguy, @PierrePaperon, @maxbehar, @mikebutcher – @culturalrealms
Couldn’t resist myself to give these 3 names – @guykawasaki @wchingya and @shellykramer (Possess great networking skills) – @mintblogger
@dragosroua Quote: “Think happiness is a process, not a goal.” Inspired by Aristotle? He is on your int’l s.m. list. – @lyceum
I would follow @talk2brazil. He tweets about Brazil’s economy, BizDev, etc. Brazil is going to be huge market in the future. – @SeanJamesOliver
If you have interest in international educational exchange/mobility research & literature then I recommend following @IDPDRIE – @DavidComp
I like @HoeferleConsult because his tweets make me feel connected to Germany, where I used to live – @CateBrubaker
One of my favorite international business profiles on Twitter is @finikiotis – @CindyKing

Who are your favorite international people on Twitter?

Do you have a favorite international person on Twitter?
Where do you get the best international insights on Twitter?
What do you like most about the international people you follow?

As usual, please share your comments below.

Twitter Interview With David Comp

Cindy King — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:00:33 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with David Comp. David is the person behind the Twitter handle @DavidComp.

David currently works as the Senior Adviser for International Initiatives in The College at The University of Chicago. He has also consulted on several international education related projects for a variety of institutions and organizations in higher education. He currently serves on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Studies in International Education (JSIE) and edits and maintains International Higher Education Consulting Blog.

Additionally, he has co-authored several book chapters and reports on international education topics. His research focuses on the use of international education for soft power and public diplomacy efforts; methodology of data collection on global student and scholar mobility and on the history of international education exchanges.

He currently serves on the Committee on Outcomes Assessment of the Forum on Education Abroad and has served on multiple task forces and committees for NAFSA: Association of International Educators including his current role as special adviser to the Research and Scholarship Subcommittee.

He received his B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, his M.S. in Family Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is currently at the dissertation proposal stage in Comparative and International Education at Loyola University Chicago.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

David Comp – Part 1

Hi David, for those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

David Comp: I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and currently in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. I’m a husband and father of three young children (Gabriela at 8 years, Andres at 4 years and Lucas at 15 months).

In my day job I work in the Dean of Students Office at the University of Chicago as the Senior Adviser for International Initiatives. In my spare time I find myself thinking about my dissertation proposal in Comparative and International Education at Loyola University Chicago.

When I was 15 years old I was afforded the opportunity to be an exchange student in Rosenheim, Germany through my high school. I enjoyed that experience so much that I participated in the same exchange program again the summer after I graduate from high school.

I majored in Spanish as an undergraduate student and studied in Valladolid, Spain for a semester during my junior year in college. Unfortunately, my Spanish language skills are not what they once were but I can understand when spoken to, for the most part. I have always identified myself as being from Milwaukee with predominately German and Polish heritage.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

David Comp: My time as an exchange student in Germany and studying in Spain certainly started me on my path to understanding and respecting cross-cultural differences but I think it’s been my continued exposure to and my interest in different cultures that has helped develop my cross-cultural skills.

I, like most people I imagine, continue to hit bumps along the way but I work hard to continue to develop these skills and, most importantly, to instill these skills in my children. For example, my daughter is taking Classical Indian dance at her school and she loves. Her participation in Classical Indian danced impressed the people working the Indian booth at the Milwaukee International Holiday Folk Fair so much that they spent extra time showing her how to write her name in Hindi.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your job?

David Comp: I use my cross-cultural skills every day in my job. I work with undergraduate students from all over the globe who come to the University of Chicago to study. Additionally, I work with both domestic and international faculty and staff and my interactions with these colleagues add another level to the cross-cultural skills I must use in my job.

Can you tell us about your blog?

David Comp:

I started International Higher Education Consulting Blog (IHEC Blog for short) in February 2007. To be honest, I can’t remember my exact motivation for doing so but in many ways it simply serves as an archive for the types of posts/messages I had been sending to the international education community, via a few key listservs, since I entered the field in 2000. IHEC Blog has given me a place to share and archive ideas I have or items that I find of interest. A side benefit of IHEC Blog (which led to me joining the Twitter movement back in February 2009 and the Facebook movement back in October) is all of the wonderful contacts I’ve made, both in the field of international education and outside of the field, that I most likely would not have made otherwise.

My favorite IHEC Blog post was “List of Movies/Television Programs where the Characters go Abroad” from August of this year. Not only was this blog post my most trafficked and commented post ever, it allowed for me to connect with many people. This blog post is really a continuation of an earlier post from April entitled “Portrayal of Exchange Students in Movies and on TV in the U.S.” My perception is that exchange students/or young sojourners are often times portrayed in movies and television in a negative light. My motivation for these posts was to engage my audience in a discussion on this topic and to compile a list of movies and television that can be used in training to demonstrate both positive and negative cross-cultural interactions.

My latest project was the creation of an IHEC Blog YouTube Channel which is really a clearinghouse of sorts for any and all international education related YouTube channels. It was very easy to set up and has been received really well so far. The best place to connect with me online is to search my Google Profile at: http://www.google.com/profiles/international.ed.consulting. My next project is to set up a much better and vibrant website that integrates IHEC Blog and my other online activities but due to time and three little mouths to feed that project has been tabled for the moment.

I have a couple of lists I’m building here on this blog, and wonder if you have anything you would like to share.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you, or you find inappropriate?

David Comp: Probably the most troubling cultural stereotypes that I have witnessed have been directed towards the Muslim community (both here in the United States and abroad) which has substantially increased since September 11th and the U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

David Comp: With three little kids in the house I haven’t seen a movie in such a long time. Occasionally, we do let the kids watch television and I have found the children’s television show “Toot & Puddle” to be a great show for my kids. If I was posting to Twitter about Toot & Puddle it would go something like this “A kids TV show w/ 2 pigs who travel the globe where they learn about different ways of life and points of view”.

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

David Comp: Oh, there are too many out there to pick one to recommend and most of my current reading is in academic journals. I must say I find my spending much time at the Intercultural Press booth at every NAFSA conference!

And finally…

Is there anything else you would like to share?

David Comp: The year 2010 marks the 40th birthday for my wife and me as well as our 15th wedding anniversary so we are trying to plan a major family vacation to an international destination. Any recommendations? The destination has to be little kid friendly!

I’m looking forward to retirement with the goal of living for an extended period of time outside of the United States…

David, thank you for sharing so much with us in this portion of the interview already. I’m looking forward to hearing your answers to the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter with you later today.

David Comp – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of the Twitter portion of this Interview.

@CindyKing: Hello David, thanks for being here! I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@DavidComp: Culture is a shared way of living defined by the arts, communication, values, beliefs and history

@CindyKing: Then let’s make it harder – “Culture is…” in one word only

@DavidComp: Culture is interesting

@CindyKing: Along the same lines… Can you finish the sentence “International business is…”

@DavidComp: International business is changing the dynamics of int’l relations & how people view the world & all those who live in it

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@DavidComp: Other ways of doing & thinking just might be better so enter with an open mind

@CindyKing: What one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@DavidComp: Have confidence in what you bring to the table but be flexible with what others bring to the table

@CindyKing: Great advice! Here’s another question, with your experience what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@DavidComp: Attempt to learn the language & appreciate the way of life of the community you find yourself living. Also, have fun & explore!

@CindyKing: I like the having fun & exploring part… 4 more questions before I let you go

@CindyKing: What is your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? This can be anything at all.

@DavidComp: I’m into the research side of int’l education & exchange & the @NAFSA TLS community is a site I visit

@CindyKing: Great, I think many of my Twitter followers are also interested in international education… How about suggesting another cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@DavidComp: I like following @bghansel & her blog “Intercultural Eyes”

@CindyKing: Now… can you suggest one other international person to follow on Twitter? #CKinterview

@DavidComp: If you have interest in international educational exchange/mobility research & literature then I recommend following @IDPDRIE

@CindyKing: And finally, who else are you interested in meeting on Twitter?

@DavidComp: Would love to chat w/ @360FromTheEdge (The Edge from U2) as he & band have travelled the world playing music

@CindyKing: Cool! I’ll have to check out @360FromTheEdge too… well that wraps it up for today, David…

@CindyKing: Thanks so much for your time David and thanks to all who followed us today!

@DavidComp: Thanks Cindy! I really enjoyed this Twitter interview & look forward to following your future interviews. Best, David

@CindyKing: A big thanks for following to @ConnectStateGov @ginavmg @AustraLearn @DR4WARD @DegreesOverseas @FiorenzaMella @kadavids @APIstudyabroad

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Martin Lindeskog

Cindy King — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:00:04 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Martin Lindeskog . Martin is the person behind the Twitter handle @lyceum.

Martin Lindeskog is a “trader in matter & spirit” and a small business entrepreneur in Gothenburg, Sweden. He is a board member of the Swedish National Association of Purchasing and Logistics (Silf, Western Region). He has started a new series of interviews for his podcasting show on the Solid Vox network.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

Martin Lindeskog – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Martin.

Hi Martin, for those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Martin Lindeskog: I come from the west coast of Sweden. I live close to the second biggest city called Gothenburg (Göteborg in Swedish). I studied Business Administration at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA, between 1997 – 2000. After my studies I worked as a cost analyst at a manufacturer of welding products in Troy, Ohio. I went back to Sweden in 2002.

I am an American in spirit, so I am happy that I have I received material regarding the Diversity Immigrant Visa program for the year 2010. I am planning to return to the Land of Opportunity – USA. Please feel free to give me suggestions on great cross-cultural and international places in the Melting Pot.

I speak Swedish and English (my second language). I understand and read German (I had it for six years in school), but I haven’t used it for a long time, so I don’t speak it fluently. I want to learn Interlingua at some point in the future. My wild guess is that Hungarian is one of the most difficult languages. I learned only a few words and phrases during my school project (international project coordinator) at a windshield (windscreen) manufacturer in Sopron, Hungary.

If you want learn some more things about me, please read my post, Seven Things About Me.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Martin Lindeskog: I picked up my cross-cultural skills at an early age. I have been interested in fundamental ideas, history and philosophy for all long time. In my teens, I started to read foreign literature in English, subscribing to magazines, e.g., The Economist. I have a special bond to the Anglosphere and I have visited London several times. (Did you know that Gothenburg has a nickname: “Little London”.) I am a member of Vasa Order of America. It is a Swedish-American fraternal, cultural and educational organization. I celebrated Independence Day (Fourth of July) with my fellow members of Vasa.

Do you use your cross-cultural skills in your job?

Martin Lindeskog: As an experienced purchaser of raw materials from different parts of the world and an international project coordinator, I have been interested in international business for 20+ years. I started a hobby business in the end of the 80′s, importing computer stuff and teas from Asia. I visited Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Thailand in 1992.

Can you tell us about your blog?

Martin Lindeskog: I had read blogs for some time and heard how the interest for this new type of journaling had grown in America, especially after September 11, 2001. On May 7, 2002, I stumbled upon Blogger.com and created my first blog, EGO. Ego is I (am) in Latin and has its foundation in the description of the blog by the following keywords: Reason – Egoism – Laissez-Faire Capitalism.

Anita Campbell (Small Business Trends) wrote a PowerBlog Review of EGO blog in 2004.

I haven’t had time to update my blog for a couple of weeks, but I will do as Stephen P. Smith and take some time to reflect on my blogging and publish a new post in the near future. I have started a new blog carnival, but the first edition is delayed. I will kick-off 2010 with a new series of podcast interviews, when the producer of Solid Vox has fixed the recording studio and other technical issues.

In the meantime, please read my annual report VII and my post on guest blogging.

You could find me on several social media places. I have listed them at KnowEm and Card.ly.

I must thank you Cindy for adding my Twitter profile to your International Social Media list. I am honored to belong to this fine group of individuals. As an example, I see that Charlene Li is included in this list. I think that Charlene Li’s & Josh Bernoff’s book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, is a very important book on social media.

I have a couple of lists I’m building here on this blog, and wonder if you have anything you would like to share.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you, or you find inappropriate?

Martin Lindeskog: Here in Sweden you could find an ugly version of anti-Americanism. I started a blog in Swedish, covering this issue, but I got so fed up with the negativity so I have put it on hiatus. I am fighting hard to “bring back the smiley face to America.”

Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

Martin Lindeskog: I am not a movie buff, but I would recommend you to watch Lost in Translation. I want to visit Japan and attend a tea ceremony someday…

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

Martin Lindeskog: I read Cross-Cultural Business Behavior: Marketing, Negotiating, Sourcing and Managing Across Cultures by Richard R. Gesteland during my studies in international project management.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Martin Lindeskog: I want to do a wine trip to Hungary and a tour around the United States of America in order to find a good place to set up a business.

Martin, thank you for sharing so much with us in this portion of the interview. I’m looking forward to hearing your answers to the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter with you later today.

Martin Lindeskog- Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of the Twitter portion of this Interview.

@CindyKing: Hello Martin! I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@lyceum: Culture is “the sum of the intellectual achievements of individual men.” – Ayn Rand. Source: www.AynRandLexicon.com

@CindyKing: LOL you’re the first person to cite someone else’s definition of culture… and Ayn Rand no less!

@lyceum::) Ayn Rand said it in the best way. And as an individualist, I agree with this statement.

@CindyKing: Then let’s make it harder – “Culture is…” in one word only

@lyceum: Culture is sense-of-life

@CindyKing: “Culture is sense-of-life” …along the same lines, can you finish the sentence “International business is…”

@lyceum: International business is trading over the borders. I have imported tea and computer stuff, e.g. 3.5″ floppy disks

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@lyceum: Take the jump and just “do it,” i.e., travel and move abroad.

@CindyKing: What one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@lyceum: If you are interested in international business, start to read an international magazine, e.g. The Economist.

@CindyKing: This is a Twitter interview with Martin @lyceum – I’m tweeting with Martin & we’re half way thru

@CindyKing: With your experience what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@lyceum: Before you move abroad, study the country and its history, read books, and talk with people living there.

@CindyKing: What is your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? …this can be anything at all.

@lyceum: Your Posterous site is my favorite for international or cross-cultural inspiration: http://posterous.cindyking.biz

@CindyKing: Why thanks Martin That is where I like to share fun stuff… 3 more questions before I let you go…

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@lyceum: @chrisgarrett Bio: “Web geek and co-author of ProBloggerBook.com” He did a great podcast interview w/ @hdbbstephen.

@CindyKing: Good choice to follow @chrisgarrett Now can you suggest an international person to follow on Twitter?

@lyceum: @dragosroua Quote: “Think happiness is a process, not a goal.” Inspired by Aristotle? He is on your int’l s.m. list.

@CindyKing: Another great person to follow: @dragosroua – Finally, who are YOU interested in meeting on Twitter?

@lyceum: @chrisguillebeau I look forward to The Art of Non-Conformity & interested to learn about “Portland, OR & the World.”

@CindyKing: Martin, well that wraps it up for today…

@CindyKing: Thanks so much for your time Martin and thanks to all who followed us today!

@lyceum: Thank you Cindy! It was a great pleasure and I had a jolly good time!

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview on http://bit.ly/7lIuz8

@CindyKing: Thanks to @tkpleslie for suggesting we follow @Iconic88 from Australia “Twitter royalty there”

@CindyKing: And thank you @DR4WARD for all of your retweets I hope you enjoyed @lyceum ‘s tweets today too

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Charmayne Paul

Cindy King — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:00:32 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Charmayne (Char) Paul. Char is the person behind the Twitter handle @psitutor. And Char is one of the people on Twitter I enjoy being around the most. Although she has not travelled she has a wealth of cultural skills the most experienced of us can appreciate. Her business is dealing with people from different cultures. You can tell that she experiences all of the challenges of cross-cultural communication on a regular basis and has a healthy approach to dealing with these differences.

Char is an Online Tutor:Mentor for students in higher education. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology (with Honors) from JCU, Cairns, Australia. She is currently completing her TESOL certificate online and taking e-courses to develop as an online instructor.

PSI stands for “Personal Study Instruction” to emphasise the tailored services to meet the needs and expectations of students. Students come to her when they need additional support with understanding concepts or completing an assessment. Over half of Char’s clients are ESL speakers who may be studying here in Australia or overseas, such as Saudi Arabia, China or Western Europe.

Char uses Skype, email and her blog to provide students with a range of academic services:

Help with research for an essay/presentation or thesis
Writing aid to structure an argument that flows
Research design and analysis using SPSS
Proofreading and formatting to APA, Oxford, Chicago and MLA styles
Improvement of academic English skills for ESL students

Char also runs a Daily Skype Study Chat (psi_tutor) for students feeling overwhelmed with their workload at uni or college or just needing to bounce their ideas off somebody else. In 2010 PSI Tutor:Mentor will be running a series of online workshops~ so let her know what you find most challenging with your studies! Here’s a video to watch.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

Charmayne Paul – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Char.

Hi Char, for those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Charmayne Paul: I live in Cairns, a delight for those who adore reef and rainforest in tropical north Queensland in Australia.

My job is great! As an Online Tutor:Mentor I get to work with tertiary students from all over the globe~ from my home. I’ve never lived or worked abroad, but as Cairns is a tourist city there are many cross-cultural work opportunities. After high school I took a Community College course in Japanese and then worked with a Duty Free Store~ they thought my language skills very old fashioned Cultures that I feel close to are those that existed on and around this tropical island I call home; Indigenous Australian, Torres Strait (TI) and South Pacific Islander. Going to school and living next door to people of other ethnic backgrounds was the norm for me.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Charmayne Paul: Any cross-cultural skills I have were mostly developed through interactions with those of other cultures. As a kid my friends were Aboriginal, TI, PNG, Dutch as well as Anglo-Australian. Later at TAFE and in the workforce I extended my skills by learning about Japan. As I travelled within Australia I met many international visitors and at uni we had a salad bowl of ethnicities. Nowadays I have Korean and Czech students living with me, coming for tutes and sometimes I provide homestay. Also, as my online tutor:mentor service grew I found that I have needed to take language courses (shout out to EduFire) to understand my clients better, and to show respect for their cultures as well. English may be the international language of communication for now, though it would be terrible to discount other languages because they are not “the norm”. Language is culture.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your job?

Charmayne Paul: To cultivate patience I like to learn a few basic words in a client’s language to show them that I value their culture and appreciate that they want to learn about mine. It is a great way to build rapport and to get a better understanding of how each culture approaches communication of particular topics. I also put into practice the basics that I know about different cultures, such as making sure my shoulders are covered on Skype cam for Muslim students, not making too much eye contact for Chinese students, and slowing down my speech patterns for patriarchal cultures. Living in this time where technology allows us to get to know others from around our global village is awesome. I am in awe at how much we can learn from each other, through language and communication styles. These two things reveal so much about how we make meaning of our world, thus how we interact. Amazing.

Can you tell us about your blog?

Charmayne Paul: Disillusioned with the culture within my work environment at the local university, I realised that I could meet my goal to provide student study support and their improved community engagement by striking out on my own. Personal Study Instruction is a common request from tertiary students. Not everyone works at the same pace, in the same way, science knows this yet so often in learning institutions it is not put into practice. I have a patient nature and it is fantastic to work with a student who really wants to understand a concept or achieve an academic outcome~ besides getting a good grade. In the real world employers and users of services want confident, efficient, effective and empathic professionals. The PSI Tutor:Mentor blog aims to encourage and support tertiary students in their personal and professional development. Cross-cultural awareness is a big part of this.

The majority of visitors to my blog are international. I started with a website though found it too static for higher education student needs. The interactive nature of a blog makes it a portal of conversation as well as a storehouse for tertiary resources and a contact point for tutor or mentoring services.

2010 will see the launch of my Membership site (fingers crossed~ must understand the software I’ve bought first!). My $1 for 1 year model aims to make access viable for tertiary students in developing nations as well, whilst providing a source of revenue that will enable me to create jobs for other tutors. I anticipate it to be a win-win-win, for uni/college students-other tutors-and me

Social media like Facebook and Twitter are a must for making contact with an international audience and to learn about their cultures. My excuse for reading the variety of blogs that I do is so that I can post material for students! I am very blessed to work at something I love doing, so even in my downtime what I am reading can usually be related back to my career purpose: To support student learning.

Besides blogging I take part in e-courses such as learning to use Moodle, WikiEducator and e-conferences.
I also run classes on EduFire and publish non-peer reviewed academic articles on Lulu. I am learning to podcast and braving myself for more YouTube videos. Apart from work I use the Internet to exchange poetry and short fiction feedback. Again, this is a great way to meet others from around the globe.

I have a couple of lists I’m building here on this blog, and wonder if you have anything you would like to share.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you, or you find inappropriate?

Charmayne Paul: Once in a while a student may assume that because I live in Australia that I am affluent~ and perhaps I am compared to their living situation. However, I come from a very humble background and maintain a very simple lifestyle~ I am not a capitalist per se, more of a sustainable person. My business is not about making a profit, of course some profit is necessary to pay bills and to extend my services, such as providing jobs for others. Overall though, my goal is for equal access to learning support. Students in my home of Cairns have the option to trade fruit and veggies or labor around my home for my services. So, yes, sometimes it bothers me that another assumes that I am wealthy and should want to do work for free or no fee.

Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

Charmayne Paul: Sure~ but are they appropriate…? 300 is one i watch regularly as I love the message of celebrating one’s culture and not taking a “melting pot” approach, especially when it means the dilution of the values under the tyranny of another.

The Kite Runner brought home the cultural differences between my country and Afghanistan, as well as highlighting cultural issues for youth that have migrated to a western nation. Bend It Like Beckham shows the difficulties of a second generation Indian teenager who is female and wants to play soccer.

A favorite Aussie movie is One Night The Moon, set in 1932 about a missing Anglo-Australian child whose parents resist taking up the skills of a local Aboriginal tracker due to their racist feelings. The movie highlights how the farmer (Anglo) sees the land as “mine”, whilst the tracker sees the landscape as “me”. Two mutually exclusive ways of approaching life. Beautiful message, cinematography and ending~ tracker find the child.

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

Charmayne Paul: A Son of the Circus by John Irving, he has a wicked sense of humor and his sarcasm resonates well with my Aussie culture. The book is fiction, about an Indian man and his Indian wife who return to Bombay every couple of years for their holiday. Their Americanized culture is so different to the “norm” in their home country. Lots of laughs as well as insights into cultural values in the East and West.

And finally…

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Charmayne Paul: I would like to travel more overseas when my business is sustainable; it would be great to visit other nations, teach English in trade for homestay and to experience other cultures and their beautiful land and seascapes. So far I have only been to a couple of places in Micronesia~ Guam twice, and Palau. Oh, there was the airport in Manila

I am actively learning at least 500 words and phrases from an assortment of languages at present; Czech (so hard!), German, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Spanish and Arabic. I would like to add to these in 2010 with French, Pali, Portuguese and Turkish.

Due to my pet companions, I am not keen at this point in my life to live in another country; though I am eager to travel more often for 3-6 weeks at a time in one place. Especially I want to travel to the developing world, where I can contribute my teaching and researcher skills. I am also an avid gardener, so perhaps I could help out planting crops or digging holes for a well. Wouldn’t that give me some perspective on life!

Char, thank you for sharing this with us. I hope others can see why I value your cultural insights. I’m looking forward to going through the the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter with you later today.

Charmayne Paul – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of the Twitter portion of this Interview. You can also find it on Twitter with the hashtag #CKinterview.

@CindyKing: Hi Char! I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@psitutor: hi Cindy~I’ll try

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@psitutor: Culture is meaning making through shared values and patterns of behaviour

@CindyKing: Great answer! Now, let’s make it harder – “Culture is…” but this time in one word only

@psitutor: ~culture is language

@CindyKing: “Culture is language” …along the same lines “International business is…”

@psitutor: International business is a key vehicle to global harmony; more job opportunities, collaboration, way to freedom

@CindyKing: What one tip would you give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@psitutor: Get out there amongst it! As a global village most people have many ethnicities within their community~and then there is the Internet~Skye, chat rooms, online classrooms, forums, blogs, email, video etc

@CindyKing: Some great advice! …next, what advice would you give people interested in international business?

@psitutor: Learn about the cultures and customs of those you work/do business with. Learning a bit of their lingo shows respect

@CindyKing: @psitutor says “Learn about the cultures & customs of those you work/do business with” it’s always good to make time for this

@CindyKing: With your experience in dealing with so many foreign students what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@psitutor: Be open to pushing your boundaries to “walk in their shoes”; e.g.,mostly I am vegetarian,except when I travel

@CindyKing: It’s true, we tend to adapt more when in different environments – 4 more questions before I let you go…

@CotterHUE: RT @psitutor: Be open to pushing your boundaries to “walk in their shoes”; e.g.,mostly I am vegetarian,except when I travel #CKInterview

@CindyKing: What’s your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? …anything at all

@psitutor: Yours! ~:-) and also www.culturalmoments.blogspot.com has insightful posts that blend personal and professional development

@CindyKing: Elizabeth Abbot’s blog is a good read. Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@psitutor: The Dalai Lama @OHHDKInfo ~he reminds us that we are all responsible for each other; to be kind for humankind

@CindyKing: Great to mention the Dalai Lama @OHHDKInfo – What about an international person to follow on Twitter?

@psitutor: @volunteerabroad b/c I would like to travel by sharing my skills and competencies whilst learning

@CindyKing: @volunteerabroad provides great opportunities… and finally, who else are you interested in meeting on Twitter?

@psitutor: Tertiary students form across the globe who would delight in study and learning support! Bishop Tutu if he is here

@CindyKing: Lovely! Well Char, that wraps it up for today…

@CindyKing: Thanks so much for your time Char & a big thanks to all who followed us today!

@psitutor: thank you so much for the opportunity, it was fun and I was so nervous about juggling all the things needed for 2day

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview on http://bit.ly/uJ9pF

@psitutor: yes, thank you to those who were here today

@CindyKing: @TopSalesExperts @RoxanneMcHenry @CotterHUE @Thangngo – Many thanks for the RT’s about @psitutor ‘s Twitter Interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Lucy Chatburn

Cindy King — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:50 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Lucy Chatburn. Lucy is is co-founder and managing editor of PocketCultures.

She is the person behind the Twitter handle @pocketcultures. And if you do not follow her there, I highly recommend you do. Lucy always shares interesting links for anyone interested in culture, travel and different place in the world.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

UPDATE: The transcript of the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @pocketcultures is now below.

Lucy Chatburn – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Lucy

Hi Lucy, for those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Lucy Chatburn: Hi Cindy. Thanks for inviting me to do this interview. About me, originally I’m from the UK but I have lived in Turkey for the last 3 years. I have also lived in France (2 years), Spain (3 years) and spent 3 months in Italy. So those are also the languages I know. I’m studying Arabic too, but I’m still at a basic level.

Turkish culture is quite different from English culture – among other things it’s less individualistic and people here are more gregarious – but I feel very much at home here. Maybe having experience of other Mediterranean cultures made it easier to adapt.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Lucy Chatburn: I don’t claim to be a cross-cultural expert! But I do love learning about other cultures and meeting people from different places. My passion for discovering other cultures started with an ERASMUS exchange to Paris when I was at university. I also studied a master’s degree at IESE in Barcelona, which is a very international school. It was a great opportunity to make friends from many different places and backgrounds.

I find it fascinating that two people from different backgrounds can see and interpret the same event in very different ways.

Can you tell us about your blog?

Lucy Chatburn: The best thing about PocketCultures is getting to know and exchange opinions with people from all over the world.

Our main aim with the project is to help people discover foreign countries and cultures from the inside. Sometimes the view of a country you get from the outside is quite different to the one you see if you visit, or talk to someone from that country.

Many sites and news sources feature accounts by travelers and expats or analysis from international experts, and these are very valuable perspectives for understanding other cultures. But we can learn a lot from the locals as well, and sometimes (more so for some countries than others) their voices are not heard as much. With PocketCultures we would like to give them a voice.

So we try to emphasize the local point of view. We feature blogs and stories from around the world and we also have stories from people in cross-cultural relationships, as this is one place where cultural differences are sure to pop up! We’re currently building a team of regional contributors from around the world who can write about their country from an insider’s perspective. At the moment we represent 6 different countries, and we’re looking for more contributors who would like to join us in this mission.

A couple of my favorite posts are:

These posts are great because they show local opinions from Thailand and Costa Rica. I could never have written them myself!

We also write about international issues, like world languages and the effects of globalization. An example would be this post on the Top 20 Languages of the World

Current world social and demographic trends mean that this top 20 list could look quite different in 20 years time.

I have a couple of lists I’m building here on this blog, and wonder if you have anything you would like to share.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you, or you find inappropriate?

Lucy Chatburn: Well, all stereotypes are inappropriate to a certain extent, because they reinforce the idea that you can describe a place or a culture with a single point of view. I really liked this TED Global presentation by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which I think illustrates the problem very well.

One of the things we try to do with PocketCultures is choose stories that challenge cultural stereotypes and show a different side to countries that suffer from undeserved reputations.

Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

Lucy Chatburn: The movie ‘The full Monty’ has a very silly storyline (please don’t think such a thing would happen in real life!), but it captures very well the background and people of my hometown, Sheffield. Things have moved on now, but many British towns went through a similar slump following the demise of UK manufacturing. With The Full Monty they managed to make a very funny film out of a bad situation. It was hugely popular in Sheffield when it came out.

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

Lucy Chatburn: I’ll stick with the UK theme, because that’s what I know best. Anyone familiar with the UK will know about the ‘North-South divide’: a slight mistrust which still exists between the different parts of England. George Orwell’s The Road to Wigan Pier is not a light read but gives some useful insights into the background behind that tension.

I also enjoyed The White Tiger (by Aravind Adiga), which is set in contemporary India. But to come back to the single story idea again India is huge and varied, and one book can only show one small part of it.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Lucy Chatburn: We’d love to hear from anyone who is interested in sharing their country and culture with PocketCultures readers. There is more information here

Lucy, thank you for sharing this with us. I’m looking forward to going through the the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter with you later today.

Lucy Chatburn- Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of the Twitter portion of this Interview that took place on Twitter with the hashtag #CKinterview.

@CindyKing: Hi Lucy, are you there? I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@pocketcultures: For me, culture is a lens which filters how we see the world

@CindyKing: Great definition of culture! Let’s take it a bit further – “Culture is…” in one word only

@pocketcultures: Culture is identity

@CindyKing: Along the same lines… Can you finish the sentence “International business is…”

@pocketcultures: International business is about learning to play by a new set of rules. Each country has its own way of doing things

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@pocketcultures: Be flexible when facing different values – try to understand what reasons lie behind other ways of thinking

@CindyKing: What one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@pocketcultures: In another country, trying to speak the language brings many advantages… even if they know yours

@rosettastone: RT @pocketcultures: @CindyKing In another country, trying to speak the language brings many advantages… even if they know yours

@CindyKing: @rosettastone Thx for the RT “In another country, trying to speak the language brings many advantages… even if they know yours”

@CindyKing: Yes, making an effort to speak the other person’s language improves all cross-cultural relationships – biz too

@CindyKing: With your experience what tip would you give to people moving abroad? #CKinterview

@pocketcultures: Learn as much as you can of the language before you arrive. Helps you feel more comfortable in the first days…

@pocketcultures: …and go with an open mind – expect things to be different

@CindyKing: It can be a real culture shock when moving to a new country …4 more questions before I let you go…

@CindyKing: What is your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? …anything at all.

@pocketcultures: To know what bloggers all over the world are saying – Global Voices Online: http://globalvoicesonline.org/

@pocketcultures: …and BBC Online for international news: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ local newspapers are good too

@CindyKing: Global Voices Online: http://globalvoicesonline.org/ is a great source of inspiration for different cultures

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@pocketcultures: Hard to suggest just one! I like @collazoprojects – US / Latam focus and international outlook

@CindyKing: Thx for sharing @collazoprojects – now how about an international person to follow on Twitter?

@pocketcultures: @globetrotteri is a friendly and international Tweeter: Canadian writer / photographer / teacher living in Taiwan

@CindyKing: Great! thx again for @globetrotteri …And finally, who else are you interested in meeting on Twitter?

@pocketcultures: We’d love to hear from anyone who is interested in sharing their country and culture with PocketCultures readers.

@CindyKing: Lucy, well that wraps it up for today…

@CindyKing: Thanks so much for your time Lucy and thanks to all who followed us today!

@pocketcultures: that was fun! Thanks for organising Cindy

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Doreen Iannuzzi

Cindy King — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:50 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Doreen Iannuzzi. It is a real pleasure for me to interview Doreen here.

Doreen is the person I turn to when looking for “wise” cross-cultural tweets. Of course, this is partly due to her professional background as you will read below.

Something else to remember is that Canada has been working through their cross-cultural issues longer than many countries; with the challenges of having both French and English speaking regions, as well as Canada’s long standing immigration policies. So a Canadian perspective on cross-cultural issues is always worth listening to.

Doreen is simply one of the best people to follow on Twitter for cross-cultural insights. Besides it’s easy to see she has fun on Twitter and she is fun to be around. You can find her @DoreenatDMS .

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

The transcript of the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @DoreenatDMS is now below.

Doreen Iannuzzi – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Doreen.

Hi Doreen, For those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Doreen Iannuzzi: I was born, raised, educated and currently live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I’m Vice President of New Media at Multimedia Nova Corporation, Canada’s leading diversity publisher and printer; our publishing, multicultural marketing and printing/distribution subsidiaries represent a domestic reach of over 4 million unique households; our 500+ multicultural media partners represent a local, regional, national or international reach across 5 platforms. The company’s beginnings go back 55 years ago, when my father founded Corriere Canadese, Canada’s only daily Italian-language newspaper.

Although I haven’t lived abroad, over the years, I have traveled throughout parts of England, Italy, Mexico, the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada. As a proud Canadian, I’m hesitant to say I haven’t visited every province, but it’s close … New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the 3 territories are still on my list. My mother’s parents were originally from Liverpool, England, my father’s grandparents were born in Italy, and I live in Toronto; so you could say my cultural affinity is for “fish & chips” on Friday’s, pasta any time at all, and genuinely enthusiastic for everything else.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Doreen Iannuzzi: Through my past travels, I feel lucky and privileged to have seen and experienced first-hand many different people and places. I’m sure many would agree that it’s always best to get off the beaten track and immerse yourself into the day-to-day reality of others’ lives. To experience not only different customs and aspects of local cultures, but to feel the different rhythm and pace of life that goes along with it.

Way back, I studied piano through the Royal Conservatory system in Toronto; so I’d like to believe that that experience and training has also played a role in having an open, big picture, cultural perspective.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your job?

Doreen Iannuzzi: Our workplace is incredibly diverse and has about 140 employees that represent countries and nations from all over the world – Italy, Somalia, Colombia, Mexico, Portugal, China, Ukraine, and more. As well, practically on a daily basis, we welcome and meet with international dignitaries, business partners, clients and partner publishers who are from all over the world. As well, the nature of our DMS work, in particular, often involves the planning and execution of multicultural, and culturally competent advertising and marketing campaigns.

So in comparison to my own personal experience, I would definitely say that any cross-cultural competence I possess is a direct result of both the day-to-day experience of working with my co-workers and colleagues, and the specific nature of our work with clients.

Can you tell us about your blog?

Doreen Iannuzzi: Our corporate blog is specifically “attached” to our multicultural marketing subsidiary, Diversity Media Services; however, The New Mainstream™ reflects our overall corporate philosophy. We see The New Mainstream™ as a demographic group of Canadians who maintain ties to their cultural background and continue to consume cultural media. They are 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation Canadians with a cosmopolitan or “citizen of the world” attitude that cross markets every day; they enjoy the dynamics that are a result of cultural interaction.

We believe it’s an approach that is under-appreciated — in mainstream media and advertising — yet it speaks to the widest possible Canadian audience…diversity is the mainstream, I guess you could say. I consider the blog organic.

Besides Canadian content, I’ve had its scope allow for ‘global’ content/focus; with Canada frequently described as “the world in one country”, and with a blog itself on a ‘global’ platform, I believe that works, although I wish I had more hours in the day for it.

I have a number of favorite posts, but two immediately come to mind: “Is multicultural Toronto resting on its laurels?“ and “Multicultural Marketing Myths“; the former, because even in a city like Toronto, old stereotypes can persist …and the latter because its format alone (a list) is blog-friendly, relevant to our business and, ultimately, it’s a ‘give-back’ to the blog’s readers that provides insight into our business and our professional experiences.

Is there anything new about your blog you would like to share?

Doreen Iannuzzi: “The New Mainstream” was launched almost 2 years ago, and some posts have resonated more so than others. I’m not sure if it’s a trend everywhere, but I have noticed, generally speaking, a decrease in the amount of comments I read on blogs. I believed early on that Twitter participation was to go hand-in-hand with our blog … a necessary element of our outreach/conversation strategy.

Some social media purists may not like this, but for me, I consider both my contributions to The New Mainstream™ and my Twitter activity as blogging. Twitter, albeit 140 characters, has proved to be a really positive and engaging experience; and any timely and newsworthy content/conversation with elements of racism do seem to capture the attention of many (whether it’s related to their professional lives or not).

I do maintain accounts on FriendFeed, YouTube, and Delicious; I’m also exploring Mag.ma, but am more active on Twitter.

Can you give us some deeper insights about yourself regarding your cross-cultural background?

Doreen Iannuzzi: Even though my father was 3rd generation Italian-Canadian, I do not speak fluent Italian; but my Italian co-workers and friends are patient, thoughtful … very kind; I know more Italian now than ever before. I’ve been to Italy only 4 times … and I say “only”, because at the end of each trip, I never want to leave, it is never enough.

To be honest, a great deal of this feeling — and I say this with absolutely no hesitation — is because of the history you can see in every view, and the food …incredible, va bene. Italy goes without saying, but I’ve always been intrigued by Egypt, Peru and Australia.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you, or you find inappropriate?

Doreen Iannuzzi: All cultural stereotypes are inappropriate and seeing them propagated in media or even celebrated in advertising is frustrating. See above (“Is multicultural Toronto resting on its laurels”) and, in particular “Do you remember the one about…?” — both examples prove that even though Italians have been in Canada for well over 100 years, the Italian stereotype continues.

Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

Doreen Iannuzzi: Many! I love “Monsoon Wedding” — a beautiful and honest film chronicling the days leading up to the arranged marriage of a South Asian couple…I found the inclusion of one particular story element heroic (I won’t spoil it here) that I believe transcends South Asian culture.

I remember seeing Deepa Mehta’s “Water” at the Toronto Film Festival a few years back, and it was extraordinary…just extraordinary.

The Oscar-nominated documentary, The Story of the Weeping Camel, is one more I’ll leave you with…it follows a Mongolian family, their life, and in particular, their efforts to have their camel accept the newborn it just gave birth to. Very beautiful.

Doreen, it is great to know a bit more about you… and I have 3 films I have to watch now I’m looking forward to going through the the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter with you later today.

Doreen Iannuzzi – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of the Twitter portion of this Interview. You can find this with a Twitter search with the hashtag #CKinterview.

@CindyKing: Hi Doreen! I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@DoreenatDMS: A collective of shared values, customs, and attitudes; beliefs expressed through action, artistic or otherwise ..too long?

@CindyKing: Not at all …but now let’s make it shorter – “Culture is…” in one word only

@DoreenatDMS: Culture is life

@CindyKing: “Culture is live” Love it… How about this one “International business is…”

@DoreenatDMS: International business is the next “new” local; we are all more connected than ever before, through media, through culture

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@DoreenatDMS: Practice patience & never underestimate power of observation & ability to listen; if u make an effort … prepare to be pleasantly surprised; people care about you when you care and are genuinely interested in them

@CindyKing: Great advice to develop cross-cultural skills – I particularly like the power of observation…

@CindyKing: Now…what one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@DoreenatDMS: Come to Canada, it’s all here , we’re host to over 200 cultures… plus, we cross markets every day; it’s a fascinating consumer base ..seriously? advice for those interested in international business: do your research/homework

@CindyKing: LOL Canada is indeed a melting pot of different cultures…. what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@DoreenatDMS: Before I answer that, let me make one clarification in that I & my colleagues don’t consider Canada a melting pot as it implies that identities/heritage gets lost

@DoreenatDMS: A tip for those moving abroad? familiarize yourself with food, music, art; history can be gr8 icebreaker, equalizer to interact

@CindyKing: Thanks for the clarification… 4 more questions before I let you go…

@CindyKing: What’s your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? …anything at all.

@DoreenatDMS: Honestly? Your site is definitely up there and I don’t say that in a flippant way For those interested in Canada, nfb.ca I also love TED.com for big ideas, and its diversity of speakers and opinions

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@DoreenatDMS: I like Carmen ( @newdemographic ); she’s always interesting; and I recently discovered @CultureShocks via your list – so tx

@CindyKing: Great! …can you suggest one other international person to follow on Twitter?

@DoreenatDMS: have many; Adrian Monck ( @amonck ) an ex journo & current prof & head of comm. at World Economic Forum in Geneva … I answered as such because Adrian is international to me… and a Canadian perspective may be international to you, for example, and others; so for those interested in Canadian perspective, I would recommend Irshad Manji ( @reformingislam), @whoweareca, and @mathewi (Canadian journalist heavily involved in social media)

@CindyKing: And finally, are there any other international or cross-cultural people you would like to meet on Twitter?

@DoreenatDMS: I am always interested in advertising, journalists, general marketing communicators and of course, anyone who is interested in reaching a global market in one country Sorry, couldn’t help myself

@CindyKing: Thanks so much for your time Doreen & thank you to everyone who followed us 

@DoreenatDMS: Thank you, Cindy… a great chat/experience …and my thanks too, to those who followed us

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview

@DoreenatDMS: I sure did thanks all

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Donna Jackson

Cindy King — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:00:50 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Donna Jackson. You can also find her on Twitter: @wisequeen.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

The transcript of the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @wisequeen is below

Donna Jackson – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Donna.

Donna, For those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Donna Jackson: I have lived and worked across three continents in the past 15 years. I learned Italian, this opened up another whole culture and world to me. I also speak two African languages and fair Dutch, in addition to my home language English. I live between Como, Italy and Switzerland.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Donna Jackson: Working and travelling in many different countries as a financial marketer and advisor. As a Rotarian and Toastmaster I have always had friends and acquaintances all over the globe. My childhood, education and university experience was very international.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your business?

Donna Jackson: I use them every day living and working and as I do between German-speaking Zurich and Italian-speaking Milan and Lugano, whilst conversing daily with companies as far flung as South Africa, Australia and USA

Can you tell us about your blog?

Donna Jackson: I had already started my career in the financial global arena so when web 2.0 was born it was a natural progression for me to build my brand on line. I had written articles and copy for different publications and I started blogging on wine and business five years ago, when blogging was rare. I then became a paid blogger for a big network in Canada where I had a large audience.

As wisequeen, (which was a name I inherited from a financial panel I wrote for) I now have a very international following on my Tech and start up blog and twitter. I teach corporates and institutions on communication using web 2.0 tools and Social media.

I travel extensively helping people build brand through social media and via partnerships and collaborations. My business is not limited to Europe many of my projects and clients are American. My company, Amandini.ch, takes web companies to the next level, using social media and the web to build brand and to develop communities online.

I attend and have spoken at international conferences/forums in Basel, Zurich. Milan, Rome, Paris, London, recently where I blog and tweet live on VCs, Tech start ups, social media, angel investing, and building web 2.0 companies.

I’m building up a few resources here on this blog, and wonder if you have any insights to help me add to them.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you?

Donna Jackson: Some European cultures are very locked in to the Old way.

Do you have a favorite show that could help people understand cultural issues?

Donna Jackson: “A room with a view”

Do you have a book you could recommend to help others improve their cultural insights?

Donna Jackson: “The Italians” by Luigi Barzini

And finally… Is there anything else you would like to share?

Donna Jackson: I was born of a father of French Huguenot extraction and a mother from Sussex England. I grew up In Africa, a very unconventional childhood, full of exploration, great teachers and books. I have always viewed the world as my oyster. I’d like to live and work in Argentina sometime and explore Patagonia.

Donna, it is great to know a bit more about you. And I’m really curious about the answers you will give us when I put you on the hot seat for the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter portion of this interview.

Donna Jackson – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This Twitter Interview went a little bit all over the place, through @wisequeen’s efforts at personal branding during the Twitter Interview …and a slow Twitter connection.

Here is the transcript of the answers to my usual 10 Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview questions as best I can make them for an easy read here on this blog. You can find the full interview with a Twitter search of the hashtag #CKinterview.

@CindyKing: I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@ wisequeen : Everyday the world comes to your door, you can shut it out,or invite it in and learn something new WQ

@ wisequeen : Your clients are smarter than you think

@ wisequeen : By definition, leaders do what others won’t do and/or don’t do

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@ wisequeen : Culture is defined by how u are educated, for some its how to hold your fork, for others its how well read in the arts

@CindyKing: Then let’s make it harder – “Culture is…” in one word only

@ wisequeen : Culture is everywhere

@CindyKing: Along the same lines… Can you finish the sentence “International business is…”

@ wisequeen : Build relationships online

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@ wisequeen : Learn another language

@CindyKing: What one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@ wisequeen : Chris Brogan no 1 site its everywhere. Build personal brand!!!!

@CindyKing: With your experience what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@ wisequeen : Engage with people before you go, build friends

@ wisequeen : Also learning the local language and becoming interesting in what makes tick as a culture is a good return on time invest. Travel via books.

@ wisequeen : Learning the local language and becoming interested in what makes tick a culture, good return on time investment travel via books.

@CindyKing: 4 more questions before I let you go…

@CindyKing: What is your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? This can be anything at all.

@ wisequeen : @garyvee and @chrisbrogan

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@ wisequeen : @batmir In Zurich and is multicultural

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other international person to follow on Twitter?

@ wisequeen : Some my favs, @garyvee, @chrisbrogan for their humility @agingbackwards divinacucina

@CindyKing: And finally, who else are you interested in meeting on Twitter?

@ wisequeen : Anyone authentic, I’m not a twitter snob

@CindyKing: That wraps it up, Donna, Thanks so much for your time & thanks to everyone following us

@ wisequeen : Thanks Cindy

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

Twitter Interview With Chris Cotter

Cindy King — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:00:27 +0000

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Cross-Cultural Interview is with Chris Cotter. You can also find him on Twitter: @CotterHUE.

The transcript of the Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @CotterHUE is now below.

This is a 2 part interview:

Part 1 – The Blog Interview
Part 2 – The Twitter Interview for 10 Cross-Cultural & International Questions

Chris Cotter – Part 1

Here is the first part of the interview with Chris.

Chris, For those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself?

Chris Cotter: Hello everyone. My name is Chris Cotter. I’m originally from Chicago, but currently live in Japan. I’ve been here for twelve years, primarily in the language industry. At present, I develop curriculum and courses with a private language company for adult Japanese students, which requires marketing research to provide the greatest impact in learning and student satisfaction. I also institute improved service programs for students based on their needs, such as one-to-one feedback sessions, new courses, and . And like many people in the language industry, I hold a variety of part-time teaching positions that keep me in the classroom.

And then, there are a few websites that I run:

Heads Up English for real, relevant materials based on current events.
The Flashcard Hub for flashcards and vocabulary.

In short, I’m quite busy. However, the assistance I provide to adult learners is very rewarding. It’s a good busy.

How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Chris Cotter: I picked up my cross-cultural skills through a lot of trial and error. I initially lived in a rural part of Japan, which required me to observe and understand other approaches to communication. A direct, American approach just didn’t work there, nor elsewhere in Japan.

In addition, I read quite a lot about the country’s culture and history before I came here. And although a lot of the information was over-simplified or outdated, it still provided a good foundation to make sense of daily life here.

How do you use your cross-cultural skills in your business?

Chris Cotter: I work in middle management, which means funneling a lot of information from Japanese upper-management to others. Japanese management continues to take a top-down approach. In addition, managers continue to incorrectly believe that they must be experts in their fields, always possessing the correct answer. Of course, this isn’t true at all companies, yet it remains the prevailing practice.

As a result, I must use my cross-cultural skills at my company to (sometimes) creatively work in ideas from others, as well as deliver company-wide practices in a palatable and effective form. A lot of egos must be considered, both above and below my position.

Can you tell us about your websites?

Chris Cotter: I began the two websites primarily because there were so many ideas that just simply couldn’t be worked into the curriculum. The sites served as another outlet for my creativity. At present there are more than 500 pages of material, all providing a variety of methods for language acquisition. The sites continue to grow each month, in terms of visitors and content, so that’s another positive.

I recently completed work on a teacher’s manual too, which I released as an ebook. It’s called Better Language Teaching. It contains the methodology I’ve used for successful classes and courses, from major corporations like Starbucks to individual, one-on-one lessons. I’m putting a site together for the book at the moment.

I’m building up a few resources here on this blog, and wonder if you have any insights to help me add to them.

Have you come across any cultural stereotypes that bother you?

Chris Cotter: Japan is a much more closed society. A significant number of people, even in Tokyo, have had little to no contact with non-Japanese people. Many others have only had superficial contact. All of this means that the average person has far too many stereotypical views. It takes patience and, for lack of a better word, education each time any American, Brit, or other person enters into a new business relationship or make friends.

On the other side, though, many non-Japanese who live here fail to become close friends with Japanese people. They don’t make the cross-cultural leap required. This is a problem equal to the Japanese one, because cultural understanding takes effort from both sides in any relationship.

Do you have a favorite show that could help people understand cultural issues?

Chris Cotter: Although the move is a bit old now, Mr. Baseball still remains very true of life here from a Westerner’s perspective. Tom Selleck plays a baseball player shipped to Japan, and he must learn all the customs and manners to eventually succeed here. However, the Japanese characters in the movie must also learn that alternatives exist to the Japanese way.

Lost in Translation is another good movie that shows the loneliness that quite a few people feel, although the message transcends Tokyo and can be applied to any large, foreign city in which one finds him/herself.

And finally… Is there anything else you would like to share?

Chris Cotter: As a final comment, it’s important to realize that the initial ideas and beliefs gained from your childhood in your home country continue to form the foundation of your thoughts. You may know the host country’s culture very well, it may heavily influence you, but those initial reactions and opinions remain. This means that there will be bouts of culture shock. There will be times when you simply cannot understand a decision or reaction. Yet this is all part of living abroad.

Chris, I really enjoy following your tweets for their cross-cultural insights. I can’t wait to see what answers you will give us when I put you on the hot seat for the 10 Cross-Cultural Questions on Twitter later today.

Chris Cotter – Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is the transcript of today’s Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview with @CotterHUE You can it on Twitter with a search of the hashtag #CKinterview.

@CindyKing: Hello Chris! Thank you for joining us here… I wonder if you could share some tips & golden nuggets of advice…

@CotterHUE: Hi Cindy. First let me say “thank you” for the interview. I’m really excited to do this.

@CindyKing: First… What is your definition of culture in 120 characters? So… “Culture is…”

@CotterHUE: Culture is the foundation of a society. Everything done, everything said is because of the culture…

@CotterHUE: Culture affects language and business, family… every level of a society. You must know the culture to succeed.

@CindyKing: “Culture is the foundation of a society” – A good one – this is one aspect we have not had before. Then let’s make it harder – “Culture is…” in one word only

@CotterHUE: VITAL

@CindyKing: “Culture is vital” …along the same lines… can you finish the sentence “International business is…”

@CotterHUE: International business is the future

@CotterHUE: I think international business will more greatly affect all business in the future, even at the local level.

@CindyKing: What is the one tip you would give people to improve their cross-cultural skills?

@CotterHUE: Learn a foreign language. Language and culture are so intertwined that…
to fully understand the psyche of another nationality, you must know the language…

@CindyKing: What one bit of advice would you give people interested in international business?

@CotterHUE: Without language skills, you can’t hope to fully understand the country, its business, and most everyday aspects.

@CindyKing: With your experience what tip would you give to people moving abroad?

@CotterHUE: Don’t assume that your approach or solution, which may be common practice back home… is the default/preferred method. Culture affects how people look at problems and brainstorm solutions

@CotterHUE: In short, what may have worked back home may not work elsewhere!

@CotterHUE: Can I add one more comment on the last question?

@CotterHUE: Read, read, read! This will help you acclimatize. It will also help you lessen culture shock.

@CindyKing: What is your favorite website for international or cross-cultural inspiration? …anything at all.

@CotterHUE: I’m not really sure I have a favorite website. A lot of my reading is on sites about language learning.

@CotterHUE: For Japan-based, major newspapers get most of my attention. This helps me understand the country/culture.

@CindyKing: Can you suggest one other cross-cultural person to follow on Twitter?

@CotterHUE: That’s another tough question. I talk with so many people living here and there around the globe. But… @mayafrost

@CotterHUE: She moved the family down to Buenos Aires, and has written a book about her experiences. Great insight/info.

@CindyKing: Thank you for telling me about @mayafrost – will check out her book. After the cross-cultural person, can you suggest one other international person to follow on Twitter?

@CotterHUE: One international person? Only one? That’s really, really difficult… So I’m going to give you a few

@CotterHUE: I really enjoy tweets from @ShellTerrell @kalinagoenglish @MissShonah @familyonbikes @KirstenWinkler

@CotterHUE: Sorry. Maybe that was more than a few!

@CindyKing: Wow! Thank you for sharing so many – @ShellTerrell @kalinagoenglish @MissShonah @familyonbikes @KirstenWinkler

@CindyKing: And finally, the last question… who else are you interested in meeting on Twitter?

@CotterHUE: You really make the questions tough, don’t you Cindy?!

@CindyKing: LOL – just trying to be the matchmaker here and build a fun cross-cultural & international community

@CotterHUE: Yes, thats right. The more people to share ideas/resources with, the more everyone benefits.

@CotterHUE: A specific person might be hard to give. I’m very interested in people with similar international experience…

@CotterHUE: I also am interested in language experts, people based in Japan too. Business opportunities are always welcome.

@CindyKing: OK Chris, that wraps it up, thanks so much for your time & big thanks to everyone else who followed this interview

@CotterHUE: Thank you Cindy for the chance to talk with you. Thank you everyone who followed…

@CotterHUE: I’m happy to continue the conversation, so just tweet me.

@CindyKing: I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and invite everyone to read the full interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.